Reimagined
by RJEisenhuth
Summary: An alternate telling of the beginning of Space: 1999 where the moon does not leave orbit thanks to the courage and quick thinking of Commander Koenig and his people. Yet, there will still be consequences. There always are.


**Reimagined**

by

R.J. Eisenhuth

* * *

 _The following fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. We do not wish to infringe on any right of any holders of Space: 1999. Reimagined was clearly written by a fan with imagination - or **re** imagination._

* * *

Commissioner Simmonds nodded favorably as Sandra announced, in a relieved voice, that radiation levels were diminishing. It had worked. No further magnetic pull, the magnetic radiation, the lightening that was bouncing from tower to tower, had stopped fluxing and was now uniformly steady. All knew it was because their Commander had acted quickly, intelligently, and with purposes. "Congratulations, John." Simmonds said, satisfied. "I am going to tell them back home what you did, how you fixed a potentially dangerous situation, and you will get a commendation for this."

Koenig eyed Simmonds for a few seconds, silent. Not thirty minutes before, as the radiation levels had peaked, giving everyone a good fright, Simmonds was telling him the scattering of the nuclear waste containers over the moon's surface was not just messy and hazardous but unnecessary. While never friends, he found Simmonds at least tolerable until he was forced to work closely with the man. Koenig now recognized him as annoying and reprehensible, a willing puppet, and someone he did not respect. Even worse, he was an ambitious and powerful man. That was not often a good combination.

Victor advised: "What is hazardous is leaving the containers where they were. If the magnetic radiation had escalated as we suspected …" The Professor hesitated, not wanting to think of the outcome. "The explosion could have killed everyone on this base and, I'm sure, many back on Earth."

"Certainly, you exaggerate, Professor. _Still_ ," Simmonds was quick with his assurance before any one of the professionals in Main Mission could tell him otherwise, "preventative measures will be taken in the future. Space Commission has already told me they want you, John, and Bergman here to head the effort – After the Meta Probe is launched, of course."

Koenig nodded, appearing a little fatigued. At least a disaster had been averted. If it wasn't for his team of competent professionals the Commander was unsure what might have happened. He glanced to his side and noted that Dr. Russell had left them. Her place was in Medical Center at a time like this and he understood. "As soon as clean-up commences, Commissioner, we will get Meta launched." He promised.

"Excellent!" Simmonds turned and headed into Koenig's office, "I will issue that communique now."

John and Victor looked at one another. Simmonds really had no idea how close they had come to complete annihilation.

* * *

Carefully, reading the communique once more just to be certain she understood it, Helena check-marked where it asked if she comprehended. She then thoughtfully sent it back to Space Commission. She suspected something like this might happen. Simmonds was covering all bases and, in his mind, she was expendable. Apparently, the powers that be back on Earth agreed.

The CMO supposed she should be furious. She would not go home to parades and confetti, not that she would want that kind of attention, but with a large red mark on her record. Still, she had spent far too much time on Alpha as it was. At first is was a way to channel her grief but later Helena came to love the base, its people, and her work a little too much. The moon was becoming a crutch. She really had only one regret ...

Helena could not blame John. She doubted he was even told or was aware of her release. As a matter of fact, she was certain about that. He and she had lunch a couple hours earlier and he did not show a sign of regret or uneasiness. As a matter of fact, he was eager about the Meta Probe and the new storage facility being built for the nuclear waste containers.

And, she considered with a gentle smile, he was also eager to get to know her better. Helena was flattered by that, of course. He was a truly remarkable man, quite good looking, and he had a sort of charisma that drew anyone who truly knew his gentler side closer. Helena was happy to know, in the short time they had been together, three weeks since the diverted disaster on the moon's surface, they had developed a somewhat guarded but warm relationship.

It did not start out that way. She recalled her challenging him when he foolishly took an Eagle to an area that was off limits. He came back with a retort, a rather mean one she thought at the time, but it did silence her as he expected it would. Yes, she cared then and she still did. Perhaps if things were different they could have developed something special between them.

Now they would never know.

Unfortunately, Space Commission wanted her out of Moonbase Alpha and back on Earth with in the week.

* * *

"What?!" Koenig stared at Simmonds on the compost screen in his office. The great doors leading out to Main Mission were closed and for that, at least, he was grateful. No one needed to hear his fury. "I did not authorize the dismissal of Dr. Russell. She is helping Professor Bergman and myself with vital life support concerns regarding Alpha and Meta."

Simmons was back on Earth, dressed in his office attire, and appeared rather cavalier on the subject. He looked at a paper report in his hand as he said: "Dr. Mathias will be taking over Medical Center and Life Support. He can help you with those details, John."

"Why are you doing this, Simmonds?" Koenig's question was a growl.

The Commissioner looked away from the screen for a moment, appearing to hand-off a report to his secretary, then returned his attention to the screen. "Eleven men, good astronauts, died under her care, Koenig. The committee was concerned that Helena Russell's own personal issues may have made it difficult to diagnose and cure the men she was caring for."

"Personal issues?"

"Emotional. Her husband died in outer space. They say she never got over it."

"If _they_ thought she was having emotional issues _they_ never would have made her CMO on Moonbase Alpha in the first place. You know that better than any man alive, Simmonds. And you also know that Dr. Russell's reports were held back by Gorski. None of that was her fault …"

"Those men died, Koenig. She is responsible and would be the first person to tell you where the buck stops." Simmonds face was as firm as his voice. He leaned back in his long-backed chair, "Dr. Russell _will_ be leaving Alpha the day after tomorrow."

The screen blanked.

"Coward." Koenig whispered at the now missing Simmonds. He never told the Commander, while he was on Alpha, that he planned to have Helena fired. He waited until he was back on Earth, where he did not have to look at Koenig face to face. Was Simmonds picking up on something Koenig had yet to recognize? An intimacy between a man and woman?

It did not matter. Even if he were to contact Space Commission himself John knew what they would say. Men had died and their fathers, mothers, wives and children wanted answers. Inquiries were made and the committee would not lay well deserved blame on Gorsky. They might need him again someday. No. Space Commission refused to show an error on _their_ end so it was Alpha's proficient Chief of Medicine that was made to take-on the responsibility, even if the accused was not guilty.

Koenig hated the politics surrounding space exploration and no more than when it applied to someone who was not just good at her job but vital to the on-going operation of the moonbase. It was not fair and, John had to admit, he had a more intimate and personal reason for not wanting to see Helena Russell leave Alpha.

* * *

"Helena, I wish I could do more." He stood, with his arms crossed, as he watched her pack. "This is ridiculous."

Koenig had talk with Professor Bergman about the situation and Victor was just as appalled but pragmatic. Helena had been very careful with everything she did but as the deaths mounted she had to go out and find answers on her own. Gorsky and Simmonds were not often pleased, Victor said, with her "arbitrary" acts of medical investigation, telling her to stick with the facts at hand. Men were dying and reports were being ignored. The only person she could really talk with about the stupidity of her superiors and her frustration at not being able to find answers was Bergman himself.

And sadly, Victor was on Alpha as a visiting scientist. He had no power and, as he noted when he too tried to talk with Gorsky, no influence.

Helena smiled mildly and a little sadly, tossing a few more items into her bag. "I knew this would happen, John."

"If that's true I wish you would have let me know. I might have been able to do something early on."

She shook her head negatively, "I am CMO of Alpha … or _was_." Her smile tightened a little. "These things happen for a reason. Maybe it's time for me to go back home and quit hiding from the world."

Koenig remembered what Simmonds said about Lee Russell but he kept this thought to himself. "What will you do?"

" _New York General_ is looking for a department head and asked me to come and see them the moment I became free." She closed the lid of her luggage, "I _am_ still considered a good doctor – just not on the moon."

"Of course, you are." Koenig whispered, hoping he did not sound patronizing. He wanted to ask Helena if not working in her specialty, Space Medicine, would disappoint her but again he held his tongue.

Helpless, he watched as she zipped up the bag.

She stood straight and turned to look up at him, again the small smile in place. "I'll be fine, John. And I hope you will keep in contact with me. I'd love to …" She quickly licked her lips and glanced away ever so slightly, " … know how the Meta Probe is getting along. They only report so much on television, you know."

Koenig looked at her for a moment, intrigued by what she did _not_ say, and allowed a mild smile and a short nod. He wished he could put his arms around her and hold the woman close but it would be incredibly inappropriate. At least for the next ten minutes he was still her Commander. "May I walk you to the Eagle?" he asked, low and a bit miserably.

"Thank you."

He reached for her bag on the bed, pulled it off, and followed her. He watched as she paused by the now opened door to her quarters, looking back at her own personal space, the room she had called home for months.

"I know it sounds silly but I always felt that I might live here and on Alpha – forever."

It was the lure of the moon, he thought. He felt the same way although logic dictated they were all eventually going to go home to Earth one day.

* * *

In his office, he held a glass of red Moscato in one hand and her comlock in the other. She had passed it to him just before the travel tube docked and the door to her transport Eagle slid opened. Their fingers touched, soft and warm, and for a brief few seconds there was a more than a casual bond between them. Helena's eyes looked into his own, unwavering.

Koenig now watched her Eagle return to Earth from the south window as he sipped. He did not drink often but felt the need to relax for a few minutes. The Commander felt he should have fought harder to keep Helena on Alpha. Perhaps if he had looked into it deeper he could have found an ancient proviso that made him the final word on who gets hired and fired on the moonbase.

But, right now, there was no time.

Meta and the moon's new nuclear waste storage unit demanded nearly all of his attention. Even now, looking at her Eagle, Koenig knew he should be elsewhere. Yet, instead he was noting how he could feel his pulse rapidly beating. Honestly, he was not certain if it was from anger or another kind of stimulation, the type of stimulus that happens when a man thinks of a woman, someone he feels he may have a future with.

Perhaps there would come a day when they would see one another again, on Earth, after the success of a Meta landing. When his assignment on Alpha was over maybe he and Helena could …

"Commander," Sandra appeared on the compost and he turned to look at her, "We are getting information from the Meta Probe. Captain Carter is sending you reports and would like your opinion."

They were a quarter of the way to the planet. Koenig knew he should feel more excited about it than he was. With a sigh, the Commander slid the glass and Helena's comlock into an alcove and turned from the window.

It was time to get back to work.

* * *

 **The End**

Aug 2017.

* * *

 _I had this germ of an idea where Koenig would do as he was thinking, look up Helena when he eventually got back to Earth. Could it work or was their relationship and romance only something that could happen on the moon?_


End file.
